Cat's Out of the Bag
by BattleStations
Summary: Sequel to Curiosity Killed the Cat Kai. Their carefree times are over. Kai's been called back and Suoh's surgically attached. Eragon feels drunk and the conductors gone missing. Who's running the show now?
1. Encapsulate

Alagaesia wasn't the place it used to be. The people had become divided between those who supported the Empire and those who supported the Varden. Balance between the two powers continuously swayed like the wind, and those caught in the middle were like flimsy blades of grass.

Great battles and weeklong standoffs had been reduced to small brawls between citizens; both sides had wordlessly come to an agreement that if there would be a war, only the final battle would end it. And so Alagaesia was left a sad quiet land. Tension had spread across the entire country in anticipation of the final battle, waiting for the winner and the future of their land.

The corrupted King would see his end, and with it, the oaths sworn to him. Eragon had promised so. A promise was never spoken lightly from a Rider, Alagaesia had hope. And Eragon had Kai, his own hope.

-

"I doubt your assistance is considered much help." A light voice commented from up a wide thick tree. It was spring, pollen and warmth filled the air as birds continuously sang through the longer days. The year's first flowers were sprouting and new children could be heard howling in the distance. Most towns in Alagaesia existed in quiet, but there were some parts of the country where the silence could not reach. There still lived towns where smiles were worn and people still tried to maintain their usual life. There still existed a place where hope was warmly embraced and the grass was stubbornly sturdy.

**I don't see you trying to help**. A deep strained voice challenged the light one in the tree. The deep voiced individual paused in his efforts to glare with large silver eyes at the lounging young woman. There were places where life continued and where hope fueled a struggle for normalcy. Some people still lived as they had always had; they simply left their fate to the gods.

"What? You want me to slash my sword at them?" She asked raising an eyebrow in the general direction of the voice in her head. "Besides, it's better to watch you scare off the herd than to trouble myself with something like sheep." She laughed as the soft dragon-chuckle echoed in her head. This young woman had found possibly the last remaining place in Alagaesia that refused to let the war depress them. And though she was the definite opposite of normal, she had found comfort with the people.

**Yes, they do rather scare easily**. The humble male voice agreed. He had been the one to follow her to this last paradise, for they were eternally bound to the very end. An oath had been spoken between the two, and nothing but death would break it.

She slid out of the tree and surveyed the scene as she pushed her light hair out of her face while the slight wind found it necessary to place it back into her eyes. She and Suoh were staying in a small village far away from the chaotic atmosphere caused by the rivaling powers. All the young men of the village had left two months ago to join the Varden, leaving the village smaller then it had ever been. The people were nice and smiled her way. The change in scenery was very much appreciated.

The children of the village enjoyed hanging off of the giant white dragon and twirling around her legs, her and Suoh's daily routine. The town managed as parents and the elderly took care of livestock and fields that kept the village happy, fed and able to smile kindly to their guests. Their fields and animals were the small village's main source of income. To show their loyalty and support, the village only sold to the Varden. Though in truth they only wanted to feed their young boys that had run off to become heroes.

On the warm sunny day a thick fluffy cloud covered the sun as Kai looked out into the cows' large grazing fields, the source of Suoh's relentless requests of assistance were clearly evident as a small herd of sheep wildly stampeded about the cow territory. A few dogs, most of the village children, the herds' owners along with Suoh were unsuccessfully rounding up the sheep and trying to get them back into their own small field.

As it was, the sheep were terribly afraid of Suoh and the children weren't helping as they giggled with glee when the sheep scampered off away from the white beast. Kai stood shielding her eyes from the glaring sun. She was mildly amazed to see none of the fluffy sheep had collapsed in dead faints at the sight of Suoh barreling down the slopping hills chasing them. The sight was quite comical. The dragon's usual grace and sauntering appearance had disappeared in his suppressed frustration with the livestock. Kai easily buried what little pity she took on the dragon under her quiet giggles and airy laughs.

The sheep dogs were mildly frightened by any sudden movements the dragon made, and they found it difficult to pay attention to their master's orders when that beast could simply swallow them at any second. Their yelps of surprise carried up the green hill Kai stood upon where the large tree shaded her from the heat. The dogs' suspicious eyes flashed brightly and their ears flatten, they stubbornly refused to even step near Suoh. Thus, the animals were useless in the chase as much as Suoh himself.

Then there were the handful of gurgling and giggling small children racing up and down the smooth slopes. They only succeeded in running underfoot and scarring the sheep more as Suoh tripped and stumbled about trying very hard not to trample on any of them. The children were most interested in having fun than helping the sheep herder.

In the few months away together, Suoh had grown longer and taller. He was thin and long with huge eagle shaped wings and wise silver eyes. His ears had grown long and protruding resembling an elf's. To Kai he looked like a huge scaled cat. He had not been pleased when she told him so.

At night and when he was feeling lazy he would curl up like an oversized kitten, he would yawn like a cat and stretch like a cat. No matter how many times Kai told him he was unusually feline-esque he would snort (sending light grey smoke everywhere) and say she looked and acted like a dwarf, in indignation. Suoh was too proud of a dragon to accept the fact he very much resembled a large reptilian kitty.

Kai sighed watching the children start to chase the sheep trying to scare them like Suoh. The hum of cicadas filled the warm air that caressed her cheek as she gazed out wondering if she should interfere. The scene was enough to push anyone into laughter, but she had had enough of that already, pity was starting to overrule her amusement, and of course the fact that the sheep herding escapade had carried on long enough. Such was evident as the owner of the sheep stood atop another hill aguishly holding the top of his head and frowning at the scene, his poor sheep.

She would have to interfere after all.

Kai put her thump and pointer finger in her mouth and whistled shrilly. All the children, dragon, and sheep alike looked to her with a quick whip of heads and muzzles. She let off the quick shrill of noise and cupped her hands around her amused mouth.

"Come on children! Shall we play a game in town?" She yelled across the open grass field.** Suoh, you're really not helping**. She communicated to the beast with mirth. She heard him chuckle and smiled as the ten or so kids ran toward her on the grass hill near the one lush cherry tree. Suoh slinked along behind them figuring Kai was right. The sheep were getting boring anyway, the children had deemed; Kai should have something entertaining to do. The children rushed up and down the small slopes between Kai and themselves with new glee. They couldn't wait for what she had planned.

Standing with his daughter and two dogs, the owner of the sheep waved his hat to her in his thanks and she waved back, such a normal gesture. Finally he could start to round up the sheep properly. Kai and Suoh really liked this new town; it was small enough so that everyone knew each other and helped without a word to ask for it. The whole village didn't even look like it belonged in Alagaesia with the empire and wars surrounding it. It was somehow separate from the pain around them.

Before the children even made it to her hill a faint bell rang in the small village and the children stopped, pouted in her direction, and then slowly shuffled back into town. Kai silently celebrated to herself and Suoh, she had not an idea of what she would have done with ten kids anyway. Their loss had saved her the misery of entertaining demanding children. The bell in town was struck to round up the children in the village for meals and rang repeatedly for emergencies. The mellow slow chung of the bell suggested it was time to eat. No troubles today and just like every other day in ­­­­­Talamh of Alagaesia.

Kai shrugged to the parade of children apologetically then walked down the hill to join Suoh into town. A family in town had happily taken Kai in to stay in one of their rooms. They were a nice old couple who's only had a son had went off to fight for the Varden like all the other young men in the village. She stayed in his abandoned room. Tiny wood works littered the small book shelves and hand-me-down blankets covered the modest bed.

"Did you eat?" She asked up to Suoh, she was only as tall as up to his knee, and his back arched up to the roof of the houses. And despite his size he easily managed to avoid destroying any of the homes they maneuvered around. He was large in size, but as amble as a cat.

**Yes. I caught a large beast in the forest. It had been quite the hunt and rather tasty.** He told her weaving through the houses, he was tall but thin, very maneuverable and extremely strong, Kai was proud of him. He'd improved so much since last did battle together. She was extremely proud actually. He hummed his pleasure to her thoughts.

They had practiced flying maneuvers as often as they could, and now Kai didn't have much of a problem with flying anymore. Her stomach had gotten used to sharp altitude changes and toughened up. Kai still wasn't a fan of flying even after all the time she spent with Suoh among the clouds, but she could stand the uncomfortable experience for him.

"Oh, dear there you are." An older woman chastised Kai as she rounded a corner ahead of Suoh. It was the mother of the house she stayed in. "A young man from the Varden is here for you; he has a letter and is to give it to you _personally_." She sounded excited; the village didn't get much excitement. The villagers still weren't over the fact that Suoh was a dragon, and he was staying with them. In fact, the woman stood frozen captivated by Suoh's massive presence as Kai waited to join her back to her home.

The sky was turning orange and pink as Kai traveled toward the stone house. The woman led Kai through the kitchen door as Suoh peaked in the window. At the large kitchen table was a soldier who looked to have been waiting for a long time. He stood from his chair with her entrance and slapped his booted feet together staring ahead as she approached. He was much taller then her as she stood in front of him.

"Speak." She said slowly, wondering why she had to tell him to. He was treating her like she was a senior officer of his troop. Last she knew, she hadn't joined any army. She sighed; perhaps entwining her fate with the Varden had been a sign up in disguise.

"Lady Nasuada sends greetings and would like to inform that you are needed. More is explained in her letter." He stated evenly and produced a letter holding it out to her. Kai caught him starring at her as she took the letter, she glared at the soldier. She didn't appreciate his curious stares, nor his obvious embarrassment at being caught and flushing across his cheeks.

"Thanks." She said vaguely and turned to the woman of the house; she looked sad but kept a smile on her round face. Kai was happy to see her take the news well; she would hate to leave after the woman had become so fond of her and Suoh. "It appears I will be leaving sooner than expected."

"I'll pack some food for your journey, dear." She said smiling warmly and bustling off into the store room with her skirts in one hand to prepare the preserved food.

"Thank you. You've been very kind." Kai said in the absence of the woman. Without a second glance at the soldier Kai went to the stairs with the idea to pack as she told Suoh they were leaving as soon as possible.

Talamh: Irish for land.


	2. Travels

"She will be arriving soon, within the week." A dark woman confirmed to the small room filled with the important people of their cause. The Rider sworn to her was impatiently looking out a thin window as more questions about Kai echoed in the close walls; he just wanted her to show up already. The girl had plagued his thoughts through all of her absence; the least she could do was _arrive_.

"What did you include in the letter?" Someone asked. Eragon glanced at Nasuada as she glared at the man who had spoken. Eragon guessed he was on the counsel for the Varden. He'd noticed Nasuada's turn in manor toward the counsel. She openly disliked them, so it was safe to assume he sat on the counsel.

Everyone could tell Eragon was agitated; from his little corner by the window they could feel the tension radiate off him in suffocating waves. He could have been doing better things, but he was needed at the war meeting; they would be discussing their tactics soon. And once Kai showed, they would start working on plans and ambushes if necessary. Lady Nasuada had plans to end the war soon, and Kai had been deemed crucial in the success of her plans.

-

"There is so much desert." Kai mumbled, if not a bit unhappily. It was dark and the two of them had decided to stop for a few hours to rest up for the last leg of their journey. Kai smiled as her dragon curled up and grunted at her disapprovingly. He never liked it when she complained.

**Come on, you need some sleep too**. The dragon mumbled, pulling her to him with his long tail. Earlier in the night the two had laughed together as they left their guide back to Nasuada's new station behind. Nasuada had written herself that the guide would only hold them back and they were to arrive as quickly as possible.

"Hmm." Kai hummed her reluctant agreement and curled up against the warm massive body of her best friend. The trip had been exhausting so far because their stay in the homey farmlands had made them soft. It seemed not to matter how hard they had tried to avoid becoming too accustomed to leisure.

-

"The desert's not so bad." Kai breathed as Suoh flew through the warm air. They'd spent nearly a day and a half flying through the desert, and now it was finally coming to an end. "I wouldn't really want to stay there any longer than we had though." She told her traveling companion, stroking the stretch of scales in front of her on the beast's neck.

**I believe that we'll arrive in the Surda capital tonight**. Suoh said. He was purring as she pet his neck. Kai found it odd that they had met no trouble on the journey. They had not even seen a traveler on the roads they had passed over, no curious stares from villages. What had become of Alagaesia in their absence? It looked as if there was nothing for her and Suoh to worry about during their travels any longer. There no longer was any fear that they would be spotted and attacked.

"I think I can run the rest of the way." Kai suggested ambiguously as she straightened on Suoh's back in challenge. She had wanted to test her stamina ever since she had been summoned; the Varden obviously needed her to fight, as that was all she was good for. Kai needed to find her limits again. Life in Talamh had hardly been strenuous and she hadn't a clue where her limits had drifted off to. Now was as good a time as any to search them out again.

Suoh grunted and tilted his wings allowing them to freefall toward the ground. **See you in the capital**. Suoh told Kai as she leapt off his back and faded away. Sometimes, Suoh simply couldn't understand the way Kai behaved. Some of her thought patterns confused him and others he couldn't even decipher, it was as if sometimes she thought in a different language. But he had only noticed specific odd words when she slept. The language only slipped through when she was unconscious. Yet still, even her ability to run a full day in a sprint hardly made her stereotypical to any other person he had come across. Suoh couldn't name another person who could do what she did.

**You want a race from me****?** Kai asked of Suoh as she fell toward the low hills that marked the border between Surda and Alagaesia. Kai was falling at a dangerous speed promising an unsightly end to any human. Luckily, Kai was no human. It was another thing that strayed her away from anything Suoh knew of.

Suoh huffed and shot into the air taking her challenge. He pumped his wings harder and faster free of her meager weight. Arrogant woman, Suoh seemed to be the only one aware of her actual personality. She had such thick armor; it was hard for others to see who she was. Suoh was afraid he was the only one able to see past it, and the only one she had ever let in. Though what frightened him the most was if somehow he abused his privilege and was locked out again; perhaps he feared the isolation above all.

**I'd like nothing more**. Suoh said.

-

"They should be here by now." Eragon said to Saphira as they sat in the shade of the hot day. Everyday was the same; only the temperature seemed to climb higher as time continued to pass. Eragon would sit outside and look impatiently toward the north where Kai would be arriving from.

**The tracker could have had trouble finding them**. Saphira suggested, yawning as the heat made her tired. She always seemed to be left with the responsibility to assure Eragon nothing was wrong. **They still have time; the tracker isn't even back yet**. She mumbled gazing out in the dying light of the afternoon. The sun was going to set soon, and then she could drag Eragon back to their room and force him to finally rest.

Eragon sat up as the wind blew particularly harsh; he could have sworn something had _swooshed_ by above them. Or maybe the heat was finally starting to get to him. He strained his neck and shaded his eyes searching for any signs of a white dragon he knew was there somewhere.

Saphira also picked her head up as the birds quieted. Something had disturbed them. But the heat couldn't make them imagine the same thing. So there was something up there.

Looking to the outer wall of the Surda kingdom, Eragon recognized a silhouetted form walking across the high stone wall. The figure had long, shimmering hair tied back in a ponytail and visible curves in the fitted clothing. The figure's head was tilted up as if looking at something, and when Eragon looked above the silhouette he saw a faint white dot in the orange sky that appeared to be Kai's dragon, Suoh.

As the dot grew larger and gained a shape, he recognized the loud ear pounding _thud_ of giant wings fighting air pressure and gravity. A great white dragon was taking to the earth right before them, and its Rider was stalking the palace walls just beyond.

They were here. Finally.

-

Kai gave Suoh a crooked smile through her flushed cheeks and rough breathing.

"I believe I've won." She said, swatting her bangs out of her eyes. The much larger Suoh snorted, sending lightly colored smoke to swirl around the young woman. She scrunched her nose and waved away the cloud. She glared at the huge beast in response to the treatment. He was certainly much larger than Saphira after their holiday.

In the dying light Kai and Suoh faced the Varden's Rider and his dragon. Eragon was easily six inches taller than last they met, and Saphira was considerably larger.

"I gather we're needed." Kai said surveying the large yard around the castle. Suoh and Saphira could comfortably move about in it without hitting the large trees. It was a nice size court yard, if not a bit hot in temperature.

All Eragon could do was nod as he gazed at Kai. He didn't remember her as beautiful as she was. Though, he thought, it must have been the fact that she wasn't covered in blood this time around. She still looked the same though, just as tall, just as beautiful. He shook the thought away. But it wasn't just any thought; he had been thinking it since he'd met her.

Kai cocked her head as Eragon starred at her. When he didn't stop or do anything new she just shrugged and turned to Saphira. She wasn't too concerned with him at the moment. There were too many new angles to memorize at the Surda castle. So many doors…

"Nice to see you, Saphira." Kai told her, bowing her head toward the beast. Kai smiled as the other dragon's satisfied hum vibrated through the ground from Saphira. Dragons were as different as people. Saphira was a bit stockier and sturdy in built while her head still held a feminine softness to it, where Suoh was tall, lanky and handsomely angular.

Eragon slightly shook his head as Saphira's hum woke him from his stupor. What was wrong with him? He didn't have time to be wandering off in the middle of a conversation. He was there to greet Kai and bring her to lady Nasuada as soon as possible, not stare at the beautiful woman unblinking for minutes on end.

"Where's Nasuada?" Kai asked eyeing him curiously. He was acting weird. Well, Kai had always found Eragon a little weird but he was acting a bit out of character based on what she knew of him. He wasn't one to not say a word for nearly a minute straight. Perhaps he wasn't feeling well?


	3. Amnesia

It was hard for Eragon to swallow the lump that formed in his throat. She was actually there, in front of him. He would never admit it, but he had thought of that exact moment for months on end. And now he was faced with the problem of remembering exactly what he had said to Kai in his thoughts all those months of daydreaming. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be able to remember any greeting words or phrases anyone had ever said to another in the entire history of Alagaesia. Honestly, he faintly realized he forgot his own name. Distressed, he could only faintly watch as Kai looked him over. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he speak?

"Eragon?" She said his name, why did it sound so much better when she said it? Wait, that was his name! He relaxed giving her a dazed smile. What had happened to him?

"Kai." He said back relieved he was still capable of human speech. She seemed to force herself to smile back unaware of what she was supposed to do. Oh, he was making her uncomfortable, he distressed.

"Are you alright?" Kai asked as simultaneously, two snorts sounded in the quite yard. Kai quickly looked to Suoh with a glare and Eragon flushed. It was obvious both dragons had something rather amusing to say. Neither Rider nor unusual girl felt the need to share exactly what was said.

"I'm fine." Eragon answered glancing at the large blue dragon. To Kai, it seemed he'd spoken to Saphira more than to her. "And…you?" He asked forcing himself to look at her. He would not glance away!

"Honestly, I'm tired." She answered letting her gaze slid across the stone castle behind Eragon. Eragon did his best not to raise an eyebrow, nothing in her movements, nothing in her appearance, not even anything on her face suggested what she had said was true. "Argetlam," She addressed him pulling out a folded pile of papers. "I'm to see the Lady." She repeated raising the mound of paper. So it was to business.

"Oh, right." He realized quickly turning and breathing deeply, "Nasuada has decided it is time to ready her army, she wishes to start planning and needs you to be present." He was happy to be talking about something he could better verbalize.

Suoh easily followed behind Kai as she sauntered behind Eragon. The low arches and thick halls connecting the many court yards suited him well. But he mildly growled unhappily as he realized Eragon wished to enter the castle, Suoh could not follow through the small doors. They hadn't been separated in so long; Suoh didn't want to break their streak.

Eragon continued through the doors unaware of Suoh's cease in motion, which caused Kai to stop as well. She turned and placed her palm on his nose as they were accustomed to do.

"Become familiar with this new place and I will relay all that is said." She said to him stroking his scales rhythmically. "I will not be long." She promised.

**I will hold you to that.** He thought slightly glaring at Eragon's retreating form. Didn't the stupid boy know he was leaving his Kai behind? Suoh snorted causing a puff of smoke to dilute through the air, **and I do not approve of that boy.** Kai glared ceasing her strokes and dropped her hand to her side bluntly.

**Your approval is not needed, friend.** Kai thought back to him continuing to glare. **There is nothing to approve.** She firmly stated. What was Suoh getting at; did she need his approval for everything she did?

**That is not what he thinks.** Suoh challenged.

"And it is not your place to know what he thinks." Kai said back walking into the hall too small for Suoh to follow. "I will see you soon, Suoh." He growled as she severed their connection. He regretted teaching her how.

"Is everything okay?" Eragon asked glancing back at Kai's scowling face. He didn't even realize she had only just caught up with him in the halls, she moved so quietly he assumed she had been behind him the whole time. "The meeting with Nasuada should not be long." He reassured figuring it had to do with something along those lines. Honestly, Eragon couldn't even begin to think of what would measure as a worry to Kai. He was almost eager to find out anything about her, a small glimpse to who she was. He had been surprised to find anything on her face, let alone a scowl; it was a rare moment to see any emotion cross her features.

"I'll be fine." Kai replied smoothing her frustration. Spending too much time with Suoh had made her rusty, all the sudden she wasn't used to keeping her face stoic as much as she had been able to before. Stupid dragon was slowly breaking her down.

Passing servants bowed their heads, residents whispered and the many guards curiously watched. Of all of her time away, Kai realized the Varden had grown immensely for the pressuring war. Not one of the many faces looked the slightest bit familiar. All were new, fresh, most untainted. Few of the people Kai passed in the halls had been in the battle of the Burning Planes. The ones that had been were easily recognized as their eyes had never changed. Those people were still haunted and brimming with sadness.

"I should warn you," Eragon confessed stopping out of hearing range of two guards standing on either side of a large set of double doors. "In your absence, stories might have mutated." He said vaguely. Kai simply stared at him. And what exactly was that supposed to mean, she wondered. He sighed realizing he wouldn't get out of the explanation that easily. "Don't be surprised if people may ask about things that hadn't actually happened." He said staring at her, making sure she understood. "Around here, many people see you as the hero of Burning Plains Battle, which you very well are. But, some facts have been twisted since then." Eragon said quietly. "It's nothing to worry about." He added quickly at her disbelieving stare. "It's mostly only children and fools who believe them."

Oh great. Kai thought glancing to the large door. She assumed they would be entering it soon. Would there be fools behind the doors? Children?

"Very well, they have a right to their opinions. But I believe our meeting is urgent, Argetlam." She reminded him gesturing to the said door. Kai would rather meet children than fools, if she had the choice. She sighed readying herself for what might lay behind the doors. As she approached with Eragon, the two guards reached out and opened the two doors simultaneously.

Eragon deeply wished she would not call him Argetlam.

--

Suoh moodily slinked around the many courtyards surrounding the castle. He breathed heavily, blowing out smoke and the occasional spark, if he wasn't careful; he might have set the dry air aflame. Servants attending their daily chores quickly scattered from the unfamiliar dragon, where had the white beast come from? His seemingly angry rampage about the castle grounds frightened them and guards had slowly gathered around the castle entrances. Suoh scoffed, he could almost taste the fear drip off their gathered forms.

He was only upset; he wouldn't suddenly turn and start eating people.

**What did you say?** An amused voice flitted across his minds shield.

**What suggests it was something I said?** He questioned back. He stubbornly stopped his mad trek through the few fruit trees and gracefully slumped onto the cooled ground.

**I can hardly see Kai saying something to anger you so**. The blue dragon replied. Suoh glanced up the nearest castle tower and unhappily squinted at the lounging female dragon atop the flat surface covered by a large circular roof.

**You are not the one to discuss this with**. Suoh said laying his head down among the orange trees breathing in the citrus sent.

**Discuss what? Eragon's silly attraction to Kai?** Bulls eye Saphira.

Suoh groaned only wanting to rest, he was tired. Kai had suggested their stupid race and he was starting to feel the effects. He seemed to have been softened more than Kai during their stay in that village between hills.

**If you must know,** Suoh yawned. **Yes. And I'm tired. **Thankfully, Saphira left him alone to sulk.


	4. Recovered Peace

The squeak of overstuffed cushions ruffled the quiet air inside the large double doors, which happened to be protected by two very large men with spears and armed with thick swords. Heads turned and whispers broke out. Kai stood still as dozens of eyes swept her form, they judged her, compared her to the stories they'd heard, and compared her to what they remembered from the battle field in the Burning Plains. The meeting room had a thick rich smell of old wood and sweat. The furniture was filled with large people holding brimming goblets of creamy liquid, other seats were refreshingly empty, and even more space was filled by taller thin people standing or leaning against book shelves, but all were watching Kai. In return Kai had eyes for only one person in the crowded room.

Nasuada was perched on the only desk in the room holding a warm stare with the silver haired young woman standing next to her sworn Rider. Her face was paler than Kai had remembered and her clothes were a bit more used but just as extravagant. The age change evident on the Leader's face made Kai realize how long she had been gone. Kai's memory only suggested Suoh and she had been gone months, but Nasuada's face said differently. Peculiar. Kai thought. Something that hadn't changed was the woman standing behind Nasuada's shoulder glaring at Kai unhappy with her arrival. Kai would never understand that woman or why Nasuada could put up with her as long as she had. Kai seemed to remember her names was something like Trinity or some other nonsense…

"Welcome back, Kai." Nasuada smiled. Her memories of Kai were held fondly. Kai had been quiet, speaking only when necessary and always shrouded in mystery. Though through all of the observations Nasuada had made, she knew Kai's words were deliberate. Every syllable from her mouth was binding and true. Nasuada felt she could always find the truth from Kai, she wouldn't lie. Four striving years had passed, and yet there the amazing sword wielder stood, not a day older than when she remembered seeing her last.

Nasuada finally diverted her eyes to Eragon as he stood uncomfortable with the deafening whispering yet completely silent room. That boy had barely aged as well, she realized observing him as he refused to look away from the window across the room until the stuffy room calmed down and allowed him and Kai to take seats. It was painfully obvious that the main source of Eragon's unease was Kai herself.

"Lady." Kai inclined her head in greeting.

"Please, take a seat you two. Welcome back as well, Eragon." Kai silently dissected the tone the Leader had used when speaking to Eragon with interest as Eragon nodded to his lady. The sentence implied Eragon had been difficult with them before, perhaps leaving the room to gather his thoughts and get some air before he returned. And surprisingly he had returned with Kai.

Kai smoothly glided toward a seat between a side table and a rather twiggy woman in layers of lace and silk. It was a wonder the woman didn't pass out of heat stroke. Kai watched Eragon cover the distance from the closing doors to an empty corner in three impatient strokes. He momentarily met her eyes before quickly looking to Nasuada instead. He became uncharacteristically self conscience as soon as he realized Kai had been watching him. He patted his hair nervously before Nasuada turned her voice to address the entire room.

"May we begin now?" She proposed. A wave of gruff grunts and tired nods of approval ceased the intense quiet and lack of movement. An important meeting was underway. Kai wondered at Nasuada's talent for predicting when she would return from her travels. Nasuada had gathered everyone needed for the meeting just before Kai had landed in Surda. It must have been a sign for Nasuada's great leading abilities.

--

Dragon's are a queer species. They have minds and intelligence far beyond human belief, and yet a form that possessed incredible power in the shape of beautiful monsters capable of the most devastating of disasters and destruction. And as Alagaesia lay in the wake of war, the silent before the storm, one dragon pondered whether or not he should release his most devastating powers just only to relieve himself of the suffocating frustration a certain non-human had blanketed him in. Citrus blossoms and the lingering sent of recently overturned soil filled Suoh's nose with a powerful odor. His sense of smell was also beyond human capability to imagine; he could also count and identify every insect around him as he lay dozing in the warm sun. He had looked relaxed enough. But another dragon, high above the orange orchard and lounging in her own room provided by the Varden, knew better. Just as her senses were as advanced as Suoh's, she clearly observed his tense muscles and clenched jaw through one falsely tired eye.

Saphira was curled up in one of the three dragon towers the Kingdom of Surda had. The other two towers were visible enough, only half obscured by another tower of the castle or hazy through the heat. Her tower was very spacious and circular, as if meant for a much larger dragon. A large portion of the walls had been removed for her convenience of easy departure and entrance. Thin tall windows still covered the remaining wall, one of which Saphira found herself looking though with a lazy eye to watch Eragon and Kai emerge into another tower.

--

Kai had bound herself to Nasuada four years ago. She wasn't surprised when the Lady broke the news of the impending final battle. Kai was only glad it would be one more fight to end it all, to declare the winner and to change Alagaesia. The meeting had proceeded to their funding of their battle. Much of the larger people crammed into their chairs partook in that conversation. Kai found out that Nasuada got most of her money from making lace with magic. Not too conventional, but very genius in idea and money apparently.

Later, those large people that barely fit into their seats were dismissed, and talk of battle tactic broke out. Kai was relied on for most of the advice as the people who had been at the back of the room stepped forward with all sorts of maps and small items to place on them.

Still tired from her trip, Kai yawned as she gazed over a certain map a very tall balding man had brought out. Nasuada caught her yawn and cut their meeting short asking Eragon to show Kai to her room.

Instead of the small homely room Kai had expected, Eragon showed her to a room that felt more like a giant bubble. The walk up had been a laborious winding hike made worse by a weird silence between her and the Varden Rider. The walls leading to her door were carved deeply with swirling lines that boggled the mind. She had to divert her eyes and focus on the steps so not to trip or fall.

Ahead of her, Eragon stopped his trek up the winding and confusing hall to stand before her door. A very small door. Kai looked at it skeptically as Eragon talked reasonably with the doorknob. The door swung open smoothly under his fingers, but Kai had fair reason to assume she wouldn't be so successful on her own.

The sight within the door made her forget about the winding stairs and tricky doorknob. They'd given her Rider's quarters. The long stairwell suddenly made sense; being tired was really hindering her reasoning skills. The room was huge and circular. Nearly half of the wall was missing to allow easy dragon access and the remaining wall was littered with disgustingly pretty stained glass. Kai had to wonder where exactly she was expected to change her clothing. A small, but elaborate, bed was dedicated to her with deep red and gold colors coinciding with the stained glass and mosaic tiled floor. Thick silky looking curtains hung open around the four posted bed and similar pieces of fabric hung from the ceiling leading away from a very high up gigantic lantern. Smaller ones stood on metal crafted posts around her small part of the room.

"Thank you, Eragon. It's all very nice, more than I expected." Kai said stifling another yawn. She walked toward the bed lifting her one small bag over her head and dropped it near the dark wooden frame. Eragon watched her circle the bed carefully examining her accommodations. He watched her run her fingers over the dark lanterns and across the only table in the room. He stood by the door aware that she hadn't invited him in. He only watched her from afar cross the gigantic space, heard her shallow almost silent footsteps echo off the tall ceiling. "Have you been here this whole time?" Her voice easily carried across the room.

"I left for a while, but not long." Eragon answered. He had gone with his cousin on a trip of revenge and rescue. But that was all done with. He was in a larger fight now, he was protecting more than his family now. He had a country to think of.

"I was gone for a long time." Kai said looking out at the horizon rather than at him. "I hadn't realized until I saw Nasuada. She's older." She crossed her arms tightening her shirt across her back. "But you are not. You're the same, Eragon." Eragon found it hard not to trace her silhouette against the sky; her form was rather tall for how thin she was. Her hair reflected the sun like water and her stance was easy and non-threatening, but somehow her posture still could not hide how dangerous she was.

"I don't look older, but I've changed." He said leaning against the open door. "If you don't mind, Saphira and I had something planned for tonight." He said pushing off the door and looking ready to apologetically leave.

"Have you found your peace, Eragon?" Kai asked finally turning and looking at him. She'd used his name. Eragon paused his departure and stared at her. "I said you haven't changed, but your eyes are different." Kai knew something had plagued Eragon last she saw him, she only wished he'd finally found a middle ground.

The last time Eragon had seen Kai, he had been upset with the fact that his uncle's killers were still at large. And now he was passed that, they were taken care of, and his uncle had been avenged. Eragon wondered how Kai could know he'd resolved something so personal just by looking at his eyes.

"I've found peace." He assured her. His lips twitched in interest as he grabbed the doorknob ready to leave again. There was always more to Kai. He'd seen inside her head, but still she amazed him. Little by little he'd figure her out, until then he would enjoy her mysterious company. "Goodnight, Kai."

"Goodnight, Argetlam."


	5. Unwelcome Darkness

Kai sat on the edge of her new bed cleaning her remarkable sword. The tart scent of the cleanser itched her nose as she rubbed it into the carved swirls and angles across the blade. She was only trying to find something to occupy her mind with while Suoh continued to be stubborn. He'd yet to move out of the orange orchard far away from the castle grounds. If she wanted to she could have stepped up to the edge of her Riders quarters and watch him lay motionless among the rows of citrus trees. Honestly, Kai couldn't remember quite what was making him act this way, and at the time of their argument she hadn't really understood either.

What had happened was hardly an argument, but Suoh was sulking as if Kai had yelled at him. Whatever he was upset about had little to do with what Kai had said, so she continued polishing her sword under the lantern light waiting for her dragon-companion to come back. When he wanted to share with her what was so upsetting to him she might share with him what had gone on inside Nasuada's meeting.

Unlike the days in Surda, once the sun had set and night took over, a very uncomfortable wind settled over the castle and dropped the temperatures considerably low. A deep howl echoed amongst the castle walls as the wind continued relentlessly. Suoh's scaled ears twitched with the noise. The buzz of insects had almost instantly disappeared once the temperature had dropped. And in the silence of the night he could hear frost climbing over the ground and creeping up the trees around him. And ever so subtly, Suoh could hear the crash of the ocean leagues away.

He snorted and melted any aspiring frost that had been growing near his face. He'd never been to the ocean before, and thinking of the crashing waves reminded him of Kai. She used to live right on the edge of the ocean. Kai had retold him every detail she could remember of the ocean. He imaged the salty air and tiny bits of sand pushing between his claws. She'd said that the crash of the waves at night made any other noise impossible to hear. He loved Kai. She had saved his life and been with him ever since. And Suoh hated the thought of losing her, even the smallest part of her. He knew, even if Kai was more than oblivious, that the boy Eragon wanted her. He just knew that if Eragon got his way Suoh would end up losing a part of Kai to the Rider.

Suoh understood completely how selfish he was being, but he wouldn't budge on the issue. He didn't have to share Kai if he didn't want to. She was his companion and not Eragon's love interest. Speak of the devil.

Suoh turned his eyes upward as his head rested on the ground. The wind had picked up as the other dragon Saphira passed overhead. He knew as soon as they passed that they had gone to the ocean together. He made a low deep growl as he recognized the salty smell that matched exactly with what Kai had described.

Kai had already thoroughly cleaned and polished her sword twice over. She just sat wrapped in a blanket staring at the impeccable piece of weaponry wondering when Suoh would come back. She turned her head toward the dragon entrance expectantly when she heard the wind shift abnormally—that was the sign of a dragon. She frowned when Saphira's blue scales glittered magnificently in the moonlight. Eragon and Saphira had returned to the Surda castle, and by the way Saphira drooped and Eragon lay over her neck it was clear they were exhausted. Saphira's form disappeared behind their tower and Kai saw nothing more of them, they didn't even light a lantern.

Kai turned to frown down at her beautiful sword again. She had a dreading feeling that she would be awake staring at her sword for a long time. A yawn broke her frown and she pulled the blanket tighter around her. She was starting to envy Eragon and Saphira's dark quiet tower. She only hoped Suoh would return soon enough for her to gain a reasonable amount of sleep. She was already low on energy since their race into Surda, she needed adequate sleep or she wouldn't be functioning properly very soon.

A cloud passed over the moon and her room was dropped into darkness. Kai yawned again and rubbed her green watering eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. Kai suddenly woke up as her eyes took longer than necessary to adjust. She stood from the bed and peered around suspiciously. This darkness wasn't natural. Her eyesight was many times better than a normal human's and even she was having trouble seeing properly. She crept cautiously over the mosaic of tiles designed across the floor and crouched low so not to be seen in silhouette by the window's behind her. Something very shady was happening in Surda and Kai didn't even have her friend with better eyesight to direct her in this questionable darkness.

The dark was dreadfully silent so much so that Kai's body cringed at every step she made. She felt every movement she took was amplified 100 times over. And Kai frowned as she could even hear Saphira's deep breathing all the way across the castle roofs. It was when the wind shifted abnormally that Kai froze. Saphira was asleep and even in the intense darkness Suoh still stood starkly white against the orange groove in the distance. A third dragon was in Surda.

The only other dragons Kai knew of were with the empire, and therefore this unusual shift in air flow meant only bad news for the Varden. The intense dark must be the dragon and its Rider's fault too. Whatever they were up to they wished for no one to see, and by arriving in the dead of night when all but the night guard should be asleep meant very few would notice anything at all. Kai thought she might alert the guard, but they could do very little if anything against a dragon and Rider. Plus the guard was only human and could see nothing compared to the little Kai could see. Whoever was visiting Surda knew what they were doing, but had they calculated Kai and Suoh into their plan? Eragon and Saphira were completely passed out, and this fact made Kai wonder if there was a more sinister reason for their exhaustion.

And why wasn't Suoh aware of what was going on? He wasn't exhausted like Eragon, and it was near impossible to enchant an unaware dragon. Was there something wrong with him despite his magical protection? Kai knew she had to do something before the intruder accomplished whatever they were doing.

Trying to think logically, as at the moment the darkness was beginning to affect her thought process, Kai decided she should try her hand at waking the Varden Rider. If Eragon was really only exhausted from a night out with Saphira it shouldn't take much to wake him. She gave little thought to what would happen if he didn't wake.

Kai tracked back over the mosaic of tiles and tucked her sword in its rightful place at her side. Then she crouched near the bed and turned toward the Dragon entrance and angled herself as best she could from memory on how the roof below was laid out. She didn't have time to feel her way through the hallways. With a jump and flying leap Kai landed softly on the roof below and ran lowly crouched over the peaks toward Eragon's tower.

The position of Eragon's tower was very different from hers. Where Kai's tower stood alone on the outside of the castle, Eragon's stood inside the castle walls and was surrounded by tall roofs of the main buildings. The castle roofs seemed to form a rising staircase of leading to his tower just for Kai's purpose.

As Kai quickly traveled across the castle roofs she tried to concentrate on clearing her thoughts and pushing the darkness out of her eyes. She felt deep for the source of her strange magic, but in order to use it the way she wanted to she had to understand what was happening to her. Unfortunately, her mind was too muddled to search for the origins of this abnormal darkness and she could do very little to free her thoughts. But the more she concentrated the better she could see. Soon Kai could nearly see as well as she did normally.

She silently pulled herself up onto the roof of some large building and crouched behind a chimney near the edge. With her clearing vision she had caught a large movement near one of the more spacious courtyards. Once she jumped up into Eragon's tower she would be able to find out what the movement was, and if she was lucky it would turn out to be the enemy dragon and Rider that had started this annoying darkness in the first place.

Kai couldn't keep the frown from her face as she pulled herself up into Eragon's tower. Her mind was so fuzzy she couldn't remember if she had made any effort so not to been seen on her way across the castle. Once inside the Rider's quarters Kai was met with Saphira's massive form. The dragon must have been very tired to have fallen asleep just inside the bubbled room. And on closer inspection Kai saw Eragon asleep lying next to Saphira for her warmth. Eragon hadn't even made it to his bed. Kai was sure that if her vision hadn't been subtly improving she would have missed Eragon all together. With steps louder than Kai was used to she made her way next to the slumbering dragon. All the sudden Kai's feet were becoming heavy and it was difficult for her to keep her balance. The unsettling darkness was seeping into her bones. Kai swayed as she lowered herself onto her knees before Eragon.

Blinking heavily Kai shook Eragon's shoulders in hopes of waking him. Despite the thick fog she had to think through she knew that if she could wake him up he'd be able to overcome the abnormal darkness and stop the other Rider. Eragon was a properly trained Rider and he knew how to work magic, and if she could just wake him he could take over. Kai stopped shaking him and closed her eyes trying to keep her head from spinning. If she made it through this night she would definitely take up magical studies so she would never have to be in this situation ever again. She promised to herself.

"Eragon," Kai said patting his face with her fingers. She didn't have the energy to shake him anymore, and even speaking was draining her of what little conscious she was clinging to. "Please." Digging deep she called on her strange magic and jolted him awake with whatever left she had. Kai instantly slumped with no energy to hold herself up anymore.

Eragon sat up and stared down at Kai. Her shoulders drooped and her hair was attractively tussled down her back, but her face held a frown and he could tell she was barely holding onto consciousness. "Kai?" he asked leaning forward and helping her sit up. "What's wrong?" Unbeknownst to Eragon he was already pushing the darkness that had crept into his mind out and his vision was clearing. Kai had been right in assuming Eragon could handle the intruding Rider.

Kai was breathing heavily. "Another Rider is here." She said and gasped for breath. Eragon instantly became aware of the heavy magical influence that was settling over the castle and he frowned. With all of Kai's strange abilities he realized that she didn't know how to manipulate them. The darkness creeping just outside of his vision was deeply affecting Kai and she was doing her best to fight it despite not knowing how to. Eragon shifted one of his hands holding her up and placed it across her brow. If there was another Rider in Surda, he would need Kai's help to deal with him. A grim line set across Eragon's mouth as he came to terms with who this other Rider was. The demented King would never come himself, so the intruder was his brother, Murtagh.

Eragon's eyes widened as Kai instantly recovered from the darkness Murtagh had settled over the castle. Kai's own magic was gently pushing his out of her body and taking over the task of keeping her safe from the assault. Her personality was perfectly mirrored in the force pushing him out. Eragon sat back amazed. He had only just begun cleansing her system when her magic instantly took over. She was the fastest learner he had ever met let alone heard about.

"Thank you, Eragon." She smiled rolling onto her feet. Eragon nodded as his hand still quivered from the feel of her magic and his fingers tingled remembering the touch of her hair. "I didn't know how to counter the darkness before, I will have to remember this." She nodded not looking at him anymore.

Kai's sight was just as sharp as ever again and she could clearly see into the courtyard from before. Under the hazy moonlight Kai's eyes narrowed as she recognized the outline of a stocky dragon. The same dragon Saphira had faced in the Burning Plains was crouching low under an arch, and anyone else looking might have missed his large body and assumed he was only a shadow.

"Wake Saphira, Eragon." Kai suggested still staring at the hiding red dragon. Her senses and control was all back to normal. "Her help would be greatly appreciated." Eragon shook himself awake and quickly set to freeing his dragon from this unnatural sleep. Whenever Kai was around Eragon found it difficult to think as sharply as he usually did. Her affect on him was troubling. Eragon looked up toward Kai again when Saphira's large blue eyes sleepily opened, Kai was already gone.

What did this intruding Rider want? Kai inquired as her steps over the roofs were more silent than the cold breeze lazily shifting through the buildings. But more alarming than an unwelcome Rider was Kai's inability to contact Suoh. Should she find Suoh and make sure he was unharmed? Or should she follow the enemy Rider and make sure he didn't accomplish what he came for? It was rare for Kai to be so torn between decisions.


	6. When a Plan Comes Together

Kai frowned as her feet began carrying her out of the castle. Despite knowing very well that even just a few years ago Kai would have gone straight for the intruder—she instead found her ties with Suoh were beginning to change who she used to be. She tried to reason with herself that if she went to Suoh and brought him into the situation he and Saphira could easily overpower the enemy dragon, but she couldn't help but think she was losing precious time in coming to Suoh's aid. What if the intruder was already finished with what they had come for and she was only wasting her time?

Kai's speed unconsciously increased dramatically as her new unwelcome nerves infected her thoughts. She hadn't always thought like this. Was this change for the good or was allowing others into her life hampering her efficiency?

Kai stopped before Suoh wedged between two orange groves. She held her breath when Suoh failed to move. He was unnaturally still and this made Kai all the more anxious. What seemed worse was that Kai still couldn't sense Suoh just outside her mind like usual. What had happened to him?

"Suoh?" She said kneeling down in front of his snout and getting her pants dirty. "Suoh." She tapped his nose and snatched her hand away with a jolt. Suoh was almost completely saturated in the enemy Rider's darkness. Touching his scales had made her hand numb and her own magic was working silently at eradicating the foreign magic from her finger tips. Kai knew what she had to do, and despite the pain she would feel she hardly hesitated. Breathing deeply Kai forced both of her hands down over his long snout and focused on encompassing him in her anti-darkness spell. Her hands felt like they were on fire as the darkness hissed and tried to butt her off of Suoh. "Suoh!" She said sharply trying to wake him. Thoughts of the enemy Rider were as far from her mind as the weather in Alagaesia. Her best friend, this stupid dragon, he wasn't waking up! "Suoh!" she bit her lip keeping a yelp from escaping, it hurt.

His eyes blurrily opened and Kai's heart nearly stopped in relief. **Hmm?** He asked. Kai made a small smile and removed her hands with a stiff jerk. She'd overcome the darkness, she'd won. Suoh was back where he belonged. She stood from the frosting ground and Suoh lifted his head as his own magic began taking over the task of keeping the darkness at bay. He sniffed watching her hands begin to glow and heal themselves, but said nothing about it.

**We have a situation to take care of.** Kai said back looking up at the castle. **Get up; Saphira may need your help very soon. There's an Empire Rider in the castle and we have to make sure he doesn't get what he wants.** Suoh delicately angled himself onto his feet without touching a single tree. He then arched his back before pulling Kai onto his back and taking off with the slightest of sounds. Kai almost forgot how worried she had been when he didn't wake up.

**Where's the dragon?** Suoh asked gliding lowly over the orange grove. His head slowly turned from side to side keeping their flight stable.

**I last saw the dragon in the main courtyard. It was the same red dragon from the Burning Plains. **A deep rumbling resonated through Suoh's chest affirming that he understood and Kai leaned forward as they cleared the castle wall. Her hands still stung. Healing herself was much more difficult than healing others for some odd reason, but this was worse than usual. Kai couldn't understand why the darkness over Suoh was affecting her like this when the darkness that had initially attacked her had been easily slid off with Eragon's technique. Why was this different?

Suoh was circling around the castle toward the main courtyard, but when the courtyard came into view the red dragon was no where to be seen. **Try and find that dragon, Suoh**. Kai said grinding her teeth in pain. **We can't allow them to get away with what they came for**. Suoh tilted in close to the castle and Kai slid off into the courtyard and stumbled before catching her balance.

**What's wrong?** Suoh asked stopping to hover in concern. He had heard some underlying emotion when she spoke to him, and now she was uncharacteristically clumsy?

**I'm fine, don't worry about me. Just find that dragon**. Kai nearly snapped running toward the castle in search for the rider responsible fro her aching hands. The pain was creeping into her wrists and Kai was afraid it wouldn't stop there. Kai took a deep breath detaching herself from the pain and focused on the smell in the corridor. Something peculiar smelt foreign but familiar. She ran following the sent with her arms swinging and her hands uselessly limp. It felt like Eragon had been down the corridor too. She could feel the remnants of his magic between the stones on the floor and behind thin tapestries. He must have been following the enemy Rider.

The entire castle was thick with darkness and so eerily quiet that it was child's play to find where Eragon was hiding. Kai frowned when she found the door to the anteroom smashed to pieces and Eragon nearly indistinguishable inside amongst the clang and clash of swords. He was fighting off the night guard. The scent she had been following didn't wander into the room so she didn't take another step forward afraid she might lose the scent if she left it.

Eragon caught sight of her and his intense brown eyes were wild with… Kai didn't quite know. Fear? But not fear for himself… Kai didn't even try to speak to Eragon because she knew all that would come out would be a moan of pain. One of the guards turned toward her at the door but Eragon quickly swept his feet out from under him and kept the guards attention on him, Kai had a task to complete.

"It's Nasuada!" Eragon yelled over the scream of metal on metal. "He's after Nasuada!" Eragon yelled angrily. "Kai, you have to save her! She's everything to the Varden! She _knows_ everything!" Kai nodded turning tail and leaving Eragon to deal with the darkness controlled night guard. Normal humans must have a much stronger reaction to the darkness than Kai and Eragon. Eragon frowned as he fought with the blunt edge of his sword unable to get through the barrier this unnatural darkness made over the night guards. Eragon didn't frown because of the unfair task he had of dealing with soldiers on his side of the war, no, he frowned with worry because he had noticed Kai's hands. He had felt the strong new darkness chewing on her hands and he had seen the prick of pain she tried to hide from him in her eyes.

Had Murtagh really planned his attack right down to injuring Kai like that? Eragon's anger smoldered under the surface. He burned with contempt at his one time friend. How could he have done that to Kai?

Kai flew up the tightly twisted staircase to Nasuada's quarters. The odd smell was stronger the higher she climbed. And maybe worse of all she could feel the telltale thump of pressure directly connected to the presence of a hovering dragon. The main question: was it the dragon she feared it was? Had Suoh failed to find that red dragon? What had Saphira been doing? How long had the empire planned this attack to leave them all so efficiently disposed or injured?

Kai frowned as her hands throbbed and her wrists screamed. She kicked down the door into Nasuada's quarters and ignored all of the other rooms heading straight for the bedroom. At this time of night that would be where Nasuada had most likely been, also the odd scent led her to the same door. Kai only hoped she wasn't too late.

Nasuada's bedroom was in a tower, so the room was circular with many windows. When Kai kicked in the door the first thing she saw was a sword coming down upon her head. Kai gasped in pain and bit her lip to strangle the cry stuck in her throat, but not because she had been cut with the falling sword but because she had forced her injured hands to grab her sword hilt and counter the blow. Unfortunately the force of the blow rang absorbed into her sword and shook all the way down to the hilt and into her hands.

"Augh!" Kai's eyes watered with tears and her sword fell to the ground. It _hurt_! Despite the immense pain she side stepped and turned facing her attacker from a safer distance. He was hardly what Kai had expected. He had straight dark hair and sad blue eyes. And while his movements had been forceful and precise he still seemed apologetic for moving at all.

Kai kept her face neutral trying her best to ignore the pain. She bent her knees the slightest so she could move as swiftly as possible. She didn't wish to be caught off guard for she couldn't do much without her sword or working hands. This wasn't the best situation she'd ever been in; in fact it was nearly the worst.

"You're the other rider." He said. Kai didn't reply but she did glance behind him where Nasuada lay consumed by the darkness and roped ready for travel. "From the battle on the Burning Plains. I saw you on the front lines and fighting like a demon. Or that's what the survivors told me, I had been a bit busy. But that's why the king concocted the advanced darkness, just for you." Kai narrowed her eyes. Again he could have spoken with disdain against her, but he only spoke with a sense of an apology behind anything he said. Like he was sorry to bring her this news and sorry for being in Nasuada's room with the unconscious Varden leader behind him. And behind everything else he had a sense like he was ready to leave. Kai took a step forward and froze. The scent she'd been following all through the castle never extended to his side of the room.

Kai quickly spun around turning her back on him, but it was too late. She'd been speaking with an after image of the intruding rider. The recorded message had given the real rider enough time to escape out the window behind her. He must have set up the image after initially attacking her and she'd closed her eyes loosing sight of him in her moment of pain.

Kai cursed out the open window watching nothing but darkness and feeling nothing but shame. She'd lost Nasuada. What was to happen in this war now?


	7. Adurna

_Refer to the last chapter to catch up. Brace yourself, it's a long one._

Kai ground her teeth in anger and turned around abruptly to face the left over image of the Rider and rope bound Nasuada. The image rippled before quickly vanishing under her angry glare as her magic flared in response to her emotions. Kai's hands were killing her, Nasuada had been successfully kidnapped, and Suoh was no longer answering her. Her anger never subsided into worry when Suoh didn't answer because Kai could still feel him behind her mind silently comforting her, but refusing to say a word as the distance between them grew larger. Kai was forced to calm down when she gasped in pain from her hands; a jolt had jumped up her arms crackling in her muscles and then recoiled back into her wrists. Her condition was steadily getting worse.

Kai's arms involuntarily twitched painfully in remembrance of the electric jolt. What was this magic the King had created just for her? Would Kai be able to reverse the effects and get the use of her hands back? Was this permanent? She fiercely frowned at her limp hands worried of what would become of them. She was slowly becoming useless. What would anyone want of her is she was utterly useless?

"Kai!"

She turned at the sound of her name and faced the breathless Eragon standing in the door frame. She needn't say a word to the Rider for he knew what happened just by noting the absence of their Varden leader and Kai's abandoned sword lying near his feet. Eragon frowned deeper when he noticed Kai was upset. He shouldn't have depended on Kai so much when he knew she was injured. He should have arrived quicker to help. He should have dealt with the possessed night guard faster. He should have done many more things than he had, but Nasuada was gone and Kai's hands were limp time bombs waiting for the chance to completely kill the nerves under her skin. Worst of all in the mixed up priorities of Eragon's mind was the fact that he wasn't sure if he could heal Kai this time. The fact that Kai's health took precedence over the missing leader of the rebel forces worried Eragon very much. He had promised his life to Nasuada, he had no right to worry about another woman.

"Let me see them." He said rather than mention anything about what happened. Eragon was surprised to see apprehension in Kai's eyes. Maybe she was afraid he wouldn't be able to help either. She took a calculated step forward and then two more when her feet felt steadier. The pain was distracting her even from walking properly. Kai slowly raised her hands palms down with her fingers dangling useless for Eragon to see. Eragon took both of her hands as gently as he could, but when he looked at her face she was biting the corner of her lip trying to stay silent. "Sorry," He mumbled automatically and tried to be more delicate. He examined with quick eyes and released tentative amounts of magic with hushed words to test the extent of Kai's injuries. The simple healing words Eragon used for every other injury he'd encountered did little to nothing to ease Kai's pain.

"He told me the King created this just for me." Kai said quietly. It was difficult to focus on speaking with her mind consumed by the foreign pain. All of her other senses were slowly being blocked out from the pain in her hands. It was at this moment that Kai came to fully believe how terrible of a man the King was.

"He..? –oh." Eragon said glancing up from her hands. He had barely been listening as the task of healing her injuries was looking more and more difficult by the moment. Eragon hadn't noticed how frail Kai was without a sword in her hand until this moment. An odd kind of strength usually took over her when she was in battle, but now he couldn't even properly imagine her in any kind of fight. She was completely transformed into someone he couldn't recognize. "How does he know you well enough to create this spell that only attacks you?" Eragon asked after reciting a stronger spell. "I can't heal it nor take it upon myself." Kai viciously dragged her hands away cutting off a hiss of pain but still glaring at Eragon. She had not liked the words Eragon has spoken at all. For that moment of anger, Eragon saw the Kai he knew.

"You can try all you like to heal this monstrosity, but I won't see you take the curse onto yourself." Kai said firmly despite her fragile state. Eragon stared for a few seconds shocked by her determined tone, but he ended up nodding numbly in the end unable to speak a word against her. He hadn't predicted that she would be so opposed to allowing him to ease some of her pain. This 'curse', as she had called it, must've been unbearable. "And I don't know how he trained this curse solely onto me." Kai added looking away from Eragon. He would have to say she sounded a bit bitter. "I wouldn't wish this upon even my greatest enemy." Kai mumbled.

"Unfortunately, the King doesn't think as you do." Eragon said just as quietly. Eragon frowned reaching down and gently taking her hands back into his. He would have to take a different approach. Kai gave him a look. "I won't try to transfer the curse without your permission." Eragon swore trying to pacify her. "Promise." He added in the ancient language. He knew Kai was unfamiliar with the language but she noticed the significance of his usage and nodded accordingly.

"What will we say when everyone wakes up?" Kai asked closing her eyes momentarily as her hands pulsed. "What are we going to do?" Eragon was positive he didn't like the tone of voice she'd used. It wasn't like Kai to speak frailly. She couldn't help it either. Kai couldn't think deeply on anything at the moment. All she could manage was a constant observation of her current surroundings, nothing deeper.

"Just tell the truth." Eragon said simply. "This was obviously a planned attack, and we had no prior knowledge to properly counter the attack." He shrugged blowing on her hands as he whispered something else. Her fingers twitched and both of them peered intently at her hands. That was the first they'd moved since Eragon had started observing her hands.

"What did you do?" Kai asked curiously. "You got my fingers to move, and it wasn't unbearably painful." She said looking Eragon in the eye hopefully. Eragon frowned looking back at her hands unable to think properly and look at her face at the same time. Why did she have to have this odd effect on him and at such a time as well?

"I'm not sure." He said quietly. "At first I tried to reduce the magic that holds your hands, but that did nothing…" Kai stayed obediently quiet to allow Eragon to think uninterrupted. "I think I said something about the dark mist." He finally looked back up at Kai and he noticed that she had never looked away. Eragon momentarily blushed ever so slightly when he realized she'd been watching him. This was hardly the time for such childish thoughts, he scolded himself.

Kai figured that as she referred to the odd spell as a simple "darkness", Eragon had translated it into the "dark mist" instead. And obviously that translation was working in their favor. "_Gatha un reisa rakr_." Eragon mumbled, but it did little else than his first spell.

"What does that mean?" Kai asked quietly. It was the first time she'd actually heard all of what Eragon said during his spell-casting. She was very curious about his strange language despite the tight pain threatening her hands and wrists. Her magic required no spoken language and the fact that Eragon's did was mystifying.

"I asked the mist to unite and rise, hoping the dark mist would leave your hands." He said frowning again, it didn't work that time. He opened one of his hands with his fingers stretched and managed to fit both of her hands onto his one. With his free hand he pushed his hair out of his eyes ready to concentrate on his task. Her hands were so much smaller than his, he noticed still looking down at their conjoined hands. It was truly unthinkable to imagine Kai in battle with small slim hands such as hers.

"Do you remember all that you said that got my fingers to move again?" Kai asked softly hoping her question did not interfere with his magic. Magic was very strange to Kai, even though she possessed it herself, she knew next to nothing about it. She didn't know what exactly to do with it and had never known an entire language was devoted to magic. Eragon's talent and knowledge had her completely engrossed with his every word.

Unfortunately, the more attention Kai gave Eragon, the less he could focus. And Kai was nearly spellbound with Eragon. He was so fascinating, she couldn't help but stare. Eragon could barely speak let alone remember what he'd told the dark mist in her hands to do. Kai interpreted his silence as a loss of memory, and not that he couldn't speak when she paid so much attention to him.

"I remember you blew on my hands." Kai provided hoping to jog his memory. She looked down at her hands and thought about what she caught him say at the time when her fingers had twitched. "Had that been significant?" By looking down Kai missed Eragon blushing again, he hadn't realized she saw him blow on her hands. "And you mentioned something like… aduna?" She frowned convinced her pronunciation wasn't right.

"_Adurna_?" Eragon supplied easily now that she wasn't looking at him. Kai nodded an affirmative; she did remember him saying something that sounded like adurna. "Water?" He translated skeptically. But Kai had gasped looking down at her hands again. Simply mentioning the word had done something to the dark mist again. "But adurna is used to manipulate water." Eragon said quietly and watched as Kai moved her hands again. Then she hissed in pain and froze as her arms refused to move them.

"It doesn't work for very long." Kai finally said and bit her lip. Eragon couldn't help it as his gaze strayed to her mouth. It was hardly the time to be noticing such things, but Eragon's mind didn't seem to consider timing. Eragon jumped surprised when the door to Nasuada's bed chamber was suddenly kicked open. Kai sucked in her breath through clenched teeth as he dropped her injured hands. Eragon was about to return to Kai's aid when he realized who had slammed open the door. The new guest was one of Nasuada's personal guardsmen. During the attack he'd been possessed by the Empire's mist and Eragon had to fight past him to get to Kai in the first place. Although, by the look on the guard's face he didn't seem to remember being controlled by the mist and attacking Eragon.

"Dragon Riders," The guard gasped surprised. "What are you doing in Lady Nasuada's bed chambers?" He glanced around keeping a sidelong eye on them. "Where is the Lady?"

The other guards seemed to have awoken as well and were congregating in the private room of the Varden leader. Kai allowed her hands to fall at her side and she and Eragon both faced the six warriors with the worst of news.

"Nasuada has been taken by Murtagh, the Empire Rider." Eragon said. "And Kai has a serious injury." The guards had little interest in Kai once they heard their beloved leader had been abducted. All guards at once began voicing their outrage. Some were furious with themselves, and others restraining themselves from becoming physical with Eragon as if it was his fault their lady was gone. Though Kai managed to notice the two Urgal guardsmen standing eerily still in the doorway and looking hopelessly depressed. But it was clear all six agreed on one thing: they intended to get her back.

"What are you two doing just standing here?" One of the human guardsmen asked of Eragon and Kai. "Why are you not chasing the enemy Rider? You are two against one, you are guaranteed victory!" He criticized.

Eragon froze. He never even thought to chase after his brother. Kai had been hurt and that was all he'd been able to think about. Oh no, he thought frowning. Kai's effect on him had become more than distracting. He was ignoring his duty as the Varden's Rider to attend to Kai. This was terrible. What could he say, there were no excuses. He'd made a huge mistake.

"I asked Suoh to follow Lady Nasuada on his own when it became clear I was in no shape to pursue." Kai said as a frown pulled the corners of her lips. "I do not wish for Suoh to engage in battle alone against the enemy Rider and dragon, but he has promised to do all he can to slow their progress so that we may build a suitable rescue plan." She reported standing eerily still. It was clear to Eragon that even when in terrible pain, Kai was as sharp (if not more) than she usually was. In all the chaos, she had managed to completely take charge of the situation. Better yet, the guardsmen had calmed down considerably. It seemed Kai's rational and thorough assessment of their emergency had momentarily appeased their anger. "I believe now would be a good time to construct that plan." Kai urged making eye contact throughout the room. "Time is of the essence, as they say. Gather the necessary people and we'll convene in the war room in five minutes, yes?" Kai ordered. Eragon managed a tiny smile as Kai masked her command as a question. She was rather good at leading people, he realized.

All the guardsmen nodded agreeing with Kai's plan. Eragon had noticed that while Kai phrased what she said as a suggestion, she didn't exactly leave any room for arguing or others opinions. She was sneaky and underhanded in the best of sense. Besides, their situation needed quick decisive actions in order to accomplish their task. As Kai had said, time was of the essence.

In no time flat the room was void of anyone but Eragon and Kai again. Kai sighed tilting back her head and desperately wanted to drag a hand down her face. This was a complete disaster. How could she have let Nasuada be kidnapped right under her nose like that? Eragon watched as a general frown took over Kai's features. She was blaming herself, yet he thought she should be blaming him. Eragon felt he was the one that had messed everything up. Though he secretly did blame Kai for having such a strong and odd effect on him that made all logical thought and rational action absolutely impossible; therefore leading to Eragon messing everything up and letting Lady Nasuada be kidnapped. Eragon indulged in his own sigh of self pity.

"We'll have to hurry." Kai said suddenly. "Suoh informs me that our enemy's pace suggests they do not intend to take any stops between here and the capital city." Kai said gathering her stony expression back into place. "It is a difficult pace, but not impossible to maintain." This was no time to fall apart. While her hands made her physically useless, she would have to utilize all her mental power to do all she could for this unfortunate situation. The Varden may be lost if they did not succeed in a rescue mission, and fast. Their enemy was getting farther and farther away from them with every passing second.

"You can still contact Suoh even from this far away?" Eragon asked surprised as he bent down toward the floor and retrieved Kai's abandoned sword. When he stood again with the magnificent weapon he noticed Kai was looking at him oddly.

"Well, yes." She answered Eragon tilting her head slightly. "Is it unusual?" Eragon just shook his head dropping the subject. Kai wasn't even aware of how special she was. Of course it was unusual to be able to maintain mental contact over an increasingly large distance.

"We should get going. I'm eager to hear your plan to get Lady Nasuada back." Eragon said sliding Kai's sword back into its sheath against her hip. Kai bit her lip as her arms crackled with pain even more than was becoming usual.

"I don't claim to have all the answers, Argetlam." Kai said trying her best to ignore the pain crawling up her forearms. "But I'm afraid you won't be joining me in the war room." Eragon paused confused. "I've considered all the possibilities, and our best chance at retrieving Nasuada is if Saphira and you make chase as soon as possible."

"Wait." Eragon said. Kai blinked surprised and looked Eragon in the face. His voice had become very serious suddenly. "I'll go." Eragon clarified when Kai looked at him so surprised. "My Lady has been kidnapped and it's my duty to get her back. I agree that without an extra rider like Murtagh has; Saphira and I will be able to catch him. And with Suoh's help I'm positive we can win against him. But what if it's a trap and more than Murtagh is waiting for Saphira and I? Can you manage the council alone? And what if the trap is to get me and the dragons away from the Varden leaving you to battle here in Surda? And your hands, Kai." Eragon said looking at her limp hands. "Are they any better?"

"Worse." Kai said honestly. "We can worry about me once Nasuada has been returned to her people." Kai cut Eragon off when he had all the intentions to talk about her injury more. "For now nothing else is your concern. Get her back, Eragon. We can talk after that."

"No," Eragon disagreed. "If I'm leaving you with this whole mess at least keep in contact with me." He said stubbornly. "I already know you can maintain a mental contact for long distances', so keep me informed while I'm gone." Eragon was adamant on the issue, and Kai saw no way out of it.

"Fine." She agreed. "Come, make a connection." Kai invited Eragon. "Make it quick." Eragon nodded in triumph and moved toward Kai until their boots nearly touched. Eragon placed his hand on the side of her face and Kai closed her eyes. Focus, he urged himself and closed his own eyes.

**Go, Eragon. There isn't much time. **Kai's voice was like a whisper across his conscience. He shivered removing his hand from her face and took a step back. He'd been through Kai's memories before, but it was nothing compared to the connection he'd just created with her. Her magic was mystifying; he couldn't make head nor ails from it. Although, however foreign and beautiful her magic was there was no disregarding how intimidating and enormous her power was. Eragon had no clue how special she really was. It was the first time Eragon had been truthfully scared of what Kai was capable of.

Eragon must have been starring at her for ten seconds before he registered what Kai had said. "Yes," He simply said and walked out of the room. Saphira was to meet him in the courtyard below and together they'd rescue their fearless leader…if Eragon could gather himself back together, of course. Was it weird that he felt even more attracted to Kai now that he knew she could easily take him in a fight?

_Review por favor_

_-BS_


End file.
